User:CLTG01

hello! i am new to wikipedia and i am in the process of writing my first article.

i am a student studying for a masters degree in library and information studies at the unviersity of strathclyde in glasgow, scotland.

my first article idea is a description of a report that concerns the future of public libraries in the uk: Framework for the Future.

i believe that there is a dearth of articles concerning public libraries on wikipedia and i intend to correct this.

i believe my articles will prove useful to students studying libraries in the uk and elsewhere.

i can be contacted at cltg01 | at | hotmail | co |uk and would appreciate any help or criticism regarding my articles once they have been posted.

Chris.

Framework for the Future
Framework for the Future: Libraries, Learning and Information in the Next Decade is a Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) document that was produced in February 2003 that details central government plans for English  public libraries for the next decade.

What is Framework for the Future About?
Framework for the Future has three main areas of activity for public libraries in England to work towards that are repeated frequently throughout the document: reading and learning, digital citizenship, and social inclusion. These three areas of activity indicate the areas of service on which all public libraries should be focused. In addition to the three target areas Framework for the Future lists four modern mission factors as examples of how libraries can ‘renew’: evolution, public value, distinctiveness, and local interpretations of national programmes. Framework for the Future also gives a list of challenges that face public library services: fragmentation, lack of national advocacy, competition, and staffing issues. Framework for the Future gives a list of libraries strengths and numerous examples of public library services that the government considers to be innovative. Framework for the Future has many themes that run throughout the document such as joined up government, attracting new users, addressing fragmentation and leadership issues, greater recognition of libraries value to society, and involvement with partners in both the public and private sector.

Who Does the Report Effect?
Framework for the Future effects public libraries in England. It does not effect public libraries elsewhere in the UK as this is a devolved issue.

Structure
Framework for the Future is a sixty page document with the following structure:

Foreword
The foreword consists of an introduction to the report written by the then Minister of State for the Arts, Tessa Blackstone.

It gives a brief history of public library provision in the UK and details the importance of public libraries in delivering government targets, such as lifelong learning, as well as discussing previous initiatives, such as The People's Network.

It gives a list of stakeholders consulted during the production phase of Framework for the Future:

Stakeholders


 * Re:source
 * Advisory Council on Libraries
 * The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)
 * The Society of Chief Librarians

Executive Summary
The Executive gives details on the state of UK public libraries in 2003 as well as introducing the topics covered by the rest of the report.

Introduction
The introduction gives details on why the report was produced.

Position of Libraries
This section of the report gives a detailed analysis on the current state of public libraries in the UK and the constraints and challenges faced in improving UK public libraries.

Libraries Modern Mission
The section introduces and describes the four main factors of public libraries modern mission:


 * Evolution
 * Public Value
 * Distinctiveness
 * Local Interpretations of National Programmes

In addition to this is the first mention of the three main areas that public libraries should be attempting to work towards:


 * The promotion of reading and informal learning
 * Access to digital skills and services including e-government
 * Measures to tackle social exclusion, build community identity and develop citizenship

Books, Reading and Learning
This section deals with bookstock and the ways in which public libraries can support learning activities in the community.

Digital Citizenship
Digital citizenship details the ICT services that should be offered by a public library.

Community and Civic Values
This section of the report states the way in which libraries should be seeking to contribute to the eradication of social exclusion.

Delivering Change
Delivering change gives details on how libraries should be working to achieve the changes recommended by the report.

Appendix A
Appendix A is a glossary of terms used in the report.

Appendix B
Appendix B lists and acknowledges the contributions of various parties consulted in producing the document.

Books, Reading and Learning
The first of the areas of activity in Framework for the Future is reading and informal learning. It is perhaps un-contentious to mention this as an area of activity as it seems evident that public libraries have been providing these services since their inception and many people would list reading and informal learning as libraries primary functions. It did, however, come as a relief to many professionals that the government was recognising the primacy of lending services and moving away from the ‘lure’ of the idea of the library without walls Framework for the Future covers books, reading, and learning in its fourth chapter from page twenty-four to thirty-three. The first issued raised by Framework for the Future is in relation to the quality of books stock in public libraries. A good lending service is what, ultimately, most people want from public libraries. An Audit Commission report, Building Better Library Services is sighted and statistics relating to book borrowing are quoted specifically mentioning that only 59% of library users find the book that they come in to borrow and that spending on books fell by 10-15% over the past decade

Framework for the Future also mentions reader development and suggests that it is a method through which libraries can promote reading and learning services. It gives the specific example of the Bookstart programme as a regional scheme which has been rolled out nationally as well as Chatterbooks and Novel Route as schemes involving sponsorship by private companies, Orange and American Express respectively. The clear implication is that libraries should be attempting to engage outside partners in schemes that promote reader development as a method of bringing about the social and personal development that reading brings. Framework for the Future is attempting to place the development and implementation of schemes involving partners at the forefront of libraries lending and reader development services.

Public libraries are encouraged to play a greater role in the provision of learning services, specifically for early learning, supporting pupils and students, adult basic skills, and older students. Framework for the Future again gives numerous examples of local schemes, such as homework clubs, that support learning in public libraries.

Digital Citizenship
Chapter five in Framework for the Future is titled ‘Digital Citizenship’ and covers the target area of access to digital sources and services. Universal access to the internet is mentioned in the foreword and the creation of a national network for public libraries that was achieved through the national The People’s Network programme is also mentioned.

Framework for the Future covers the services that public libraries should provide to users on pages thirty-five and thirty-six: access to government services, links to local services, online information services, and content creation. Libraries are charged with becoming portals to e-government.

Framework for the Future provides ideas for national reach programmes on pages thirty-five to thirty-six. These are: hosting communities, culture online, national content, alliances with broadcasters, information services, and online learning.

Community and Civic Values
Social exclusion is covered from page thirty-eight to forty-two of Framework for the Future although little real detail is given as to how public libraries can contribute to combating social exclusion. Combating social exclusion is part of New Labour’s government wide policy on trying to aid to social disenfranchised and has affected public library service for the last decade. Social exclusion is also linked to the previous areas of activity as reading, learning, and access to the internet are seen as essential tools in empowering and engaging excluded members of society.

Critical Reception of Framework for the Future
Framework for the Future met with a mixed response when first published with academic commentators such as Bob Usherwood stating that “whilst it is not without value, it is a serious disappointment to many of those who are responsible for England’s public library services”. Others were more positive about the document and saw it as a sign that government was taking an interest in public libraries and proposed using Framework for the Future as a catalyst for debate. Anne Goulding viewed Framework for the Future as “a clear attempt to focus public library services into core programme areas and give shape to their activities”. Some commentators, especially those with a stake in Framework for the Future, stated that it set out a “challenging agenda for improvement”.

Private Sector Models
Framework for the Future at points seeks to encourage public libraries to base initiatives on private sector models. Garrod notes that that although private sector models may not work for public libraries they could encourage new thinking within the public sector.

Sources of Funding
Framework for the future does not mention sources of funding or how improvements to service are to be financed, it also, according to Bob Usherwood, does not offer any innovative or exciting new ideas what it does attempt do is provide a platform on which to debate public library service on a national level.

National Reach Programmes
Framework for the Future provides ideas for national reach programmes on pages thirty-five to thirty-six. These are: hosting communities, culture online, national content, alliances with broadcasters, information services, and online learning. These ideas are linked thematically to other aspects of the Framework for the Future document. For example alliances with broadcasters is linked to the desire for public library services to develop partnerships with outside agencies; whilst the online learning example is a cross over between the first area of target activity: the promotion of reading and learning. Some of these goals have already been achieved, such as the provision of a twenty-four hour reference service delivered in partnership between eighty-seven UK library services and public libraries in the US. Leeds Public Library Services is sited as having achieved excellent results in assisting in building community websites and it is evident that Framework for the Future wishes that other libraries follow suit with similar schemes.

Attracting New Users
Framework for the Future makes reference to the 1999 report Libraries for All <Libraries for All: Social Inclusion in Public Libraries (1999) DCMS Available: www.culture.gov.uk and states it is important to attract new users to libraries by developing links with partners in the community. Perhaps the greatest issue raised here is whether libraries should try and attract new users or focus on providing the best service to users that they already have. John Vincent suggests that tackling social inclusion does not mean getting rid of current users but targeting people who do not use libraries. Bob Usherwood recently wrote: “We need to ask if the profession should attempt to provide specifically for people who choose to exclude themselves and, all the evidence suggests, are never likely to use what the service can legitimately offer”. This seems to be a valid point. Framework for the Future is focused in chapter six on attracting new users to a service without considering if the users wish to use the service.